Novel Applications of Image and Video Analysis in Agriculture Under Climate Change Using MATLAB

Climate change related phenomena like higher temperatures, increased carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere, and more frequent and intensive climatic anomalies, such as heat waves and floods, have placed great pressure on agricultural production around the world. In this scenario, agriculture research and production requires more intensive spatial and temporal monitoring of critical variables to assess the effects of climate change on plant physiology, growth, and fruit quality. Image analysis is becoming an important component in modern agriculture and horticulture. It allows the use of inexpensive devices to acquire meaningful information on crop growth, water status, and quality. In the past, these kinds of technology and analysis were too expensive and required specific know how, which was not readily available to growers. This presentation describes the tools used to solve this problem, such as automated analysis of RGB images and video of plant material, scanned images, and infrared thermal images of canopies to assess plant growth and canopy architectural parameters, leaves and fruit development and plant water status. Results from proposed analysis tools have shown similar outcomes in accuracy and robustness compared to more established techniques. The presenter has developed automated image and video analysis codes using the following MATLAB tools: Image Acquisition Toolbox™, Image Analysis Toolbox™, and Statistical Toolbox™.